Ethics

Alexander Hamilton Died a Newbie Christian

By Ed Brayton

Before his son Philip died in in 1801, Hamilton was, for all the years he did his work "Founding" America, like the other key Founders, a theistic rationalist.

Douglass Adair and Marvin Harvey wrote an excellent article in the William & Mary Quarterly in 1955 entitled Was Alexander Hamilton a Christian Statesman? Adair and Harvey identify four religious phases in Hamilton's life: He had a conventionally religious youth. From 1777 to 1792, he seemed totally indifferent to religion. From the period of the French Revolution onward, he had an "opportunistic religiosity", seeking to use Christianity for political ends, and then after the death of his son Philip in 1801, truly became a repentant orthodox Christian. The first three phases of his life were consistent with theistic rationalism.

To see my summary of the details, check out this post. Or click below the fold to see what kind of "God talk" Hamilton engaged in from 1777-92.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on January 14, 2009 (boomark / email).